In today’s local news:
- Town council to consider a return to council chambers;
- New sidewalks coming to Cattail Ridge;
- A conversation with Ron Kelly Spurles about Sackville’s proposed new marketing strategy;
- and the COVID Maritimes update.
No news cases in the Maritimes
There were no new cases of COVID-19 reported over the weekend in the Maritimes.
There are now seven active cases in the Maritimes, one in Nova Scotia, and six in New Brunswick.
The six New Brunswick cases are all in the Moncton zone and in people who arrived as temporary foreign workers. All are now self-isolating.
Worldwide, there were over 200,000 new cases of COVID-19 reported on Sunday, which put the total case count over the 20 million mark.
India, the US, and Brazil had more than half the new cases worldwide.
Globally there are just over 6 million active cases of COVID-19, and over 700,000 people have died.
Council to consider a return to chambers, and a call for public input
Sackville Town council will gather online again tonight for their regular council meeting.
You can tune in online by clicking the link on the town website. The meeting starts at 7pm.
Up for discussion will be the question of how much longer town council meetings will be held online.
“Return to council chambers” is listed on the council’s agenda under New Business.
The town has also put out a call for anyone interested in presenting on town budget priorities at council’s budget meeting in September.
Presentations can be up to 10 minutes long and focussed on potential priorities for the 2021 fiscal year.
Groups and organizations are also invited to make presentations requesting funding and support for 2021.
It’s not yet clear whether the presentations will be made online or in person at town hall.
Anyone interested should contact Town Clerk Donna Beal by September 14th.
The budget meeting will take place Monday, September 21st.
New sidewalks, curbs and gutters for Cattail Ridge
At their meeting tonight, Sackville town councillors are expected to approve a big construction project designed to improve the Cattail Ridge roadway near TransCanada Highway Exit 506.
The three hundred and ninety thousand dollar project will include new sidewalks, curbs and storm sewers.
The pavement on Cattail Ridge will also be widened slightly to make it safer for cyclists.
Local journalist Bruce Wark says the town will share the costs of the project with the province.
The new sidewalks and storm sewers on Cattail Ridge are designed to promote development near Exit 506.
More than two years ago, the town hired a consulting firm that recommended road improvements as a way of attracting new businesses.
The consultants outlined plans for a small village on Cattail Ridge and Bridge Street that could include restaurants, small shops, a chartered bank and apartment buildings or condominiums.
They also called for biking and hiking trails as well as new town parks.
Local journalist Bruce Wark says local businesses and land owners have been pushing for more development of the Exit 506 area for the last four years:
Thanks to local journalist Bruce Wark for bringing us the details on that story.
Town council is expected to approve the tender for the project at their online meeting tonight at 7pm.
Ron Kelly Spurles on Sackville’s new marketing strategy
Also up for discussion and approval tonight is a new marketing strategy for Sackville.
The strategy was commissioned last fall and completed by Portfolio Consultants of Moncton.
Councillors first saw the fifty page strategy in July, and then again at last week’s discussion meeting of council.
The strategy calls for a long list of initiatives, including a business gap analysis, a buy local campaign, and development of an organization to represent businesses.
One of the main issues identified in the plan is a lack of consistent vision for Sackville among residents from different walks of life.
Ron Kelly Spurles is Manager of Tourism and Business Development for the Town of Sackville.
Erica Butler called him up to find out more about the new marketing strategy.
That was Erica Butler in conversation with manager of Tourism and Business Development for the Town of Sackville, Ron Kelly Spurles.
The marketing strategy is available for download on the town’s website.
Council meets online tonight starting at 7pm.
That’s it for the CHMA local news.
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